food

Hunger and food insecurity are on the rise worldwide, fueled by conflict and inefficient practices. But will the push for greater sustainability in agriculture end up taking the rap?

Like their global peers, ESG and impact-focused investments have ESG and impact on the mind, according to discussions at the Hong Kong Venture Capital Association’s Greater China Private Equity Summit.

Pelican Ag will back between 20 and 30 companies across pre-seed, seed and Series A rounds.

A revaluation of what constitutes an infra asset and the need to build a low carbon global economy are pulling energy transition and project finance capital pools towards ag.

Investors in the fund include climate-focused fund of funds Carbon Equity and Flemish government fund PMV.

Climate Asset Management has acquired a Queensland asset used for sugar cane production, which it will convert to a more biodiverse macadamia orchard.

The asset management firm says it will work with Z Impact Ventures to source deals for an Article 9 fund.

At $1.6bn – and a further $650m co-investment vehicle – Paine Schwartz Fund VI is among the biggest sustainable food and agriculture private equity funds.

The sustainability-focused food and ag firm has nearly reached its $1.5bn target for Fund VI, with a raft of the US’s biggest institutional investors as LPs.

The firm opted to close in November 2022 rather than continue into 2023 due to 'market conditions', according to co-founder Ross Iverson.